COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 25.06.26

It's another exceptionally busy week, with no less than 24 council seats up for grabs across the mainland.  Several contests are to replace councillors elected to the Welsh Senedd, two polls (for three seats) have been carried over from May 7, while the remainder are a melting pot of deaths, resignations and disqualifications.

Will the heatwave affect turnout?  Will there be a Burnham bounce for Labour?

Results will appear below, please bear in mind many counts will take place on Friday.

George St/Harbour, Aberdeen City Council

(LDm defence)

The incumbent has moved away from the area, much to the reported annoyance of the SNP/Lib Dem coalition that runs the council with a majority of just one.  Due to the complex nature of Scottish elections, it is highly unlikely the Lib Dems could hold this seat as they finished fifth here last time, but were elected on the single transferable vote mechanism.  There are nine candidates on the ballot this time - with the addition of Reform UK, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and a separatist party calling itself the Alliance to Liberate Scotland.

Karl - SNP GAIN

Rich - SNP GAIN

Goldsmid, Brighton and Hove City Council

(Lab defence)

Triggered by the resignation of the incumbent.  She had been sitting as an independent since February, having resigned from Labour, citing disenchantment with the national party.  There is no independent this time, but Reform have joined the ballot paper, alongside the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.

Karl - Grn GAIN

Rich - Lab HOLD

Roman Bank & Peckover, Cambridgeshire County Council

(Ref defence)

The incumbent was recently convicted of defaming a Conservative candidate in a Facebook post and was disqualified from his council seat as a result.  The ballot paper remains the same five way contest it was last year.

Karl - Ref HOLD

Rich - Con GAIN

Llangennech, Carmarthenshire County Council

(Ref defence)

Held due to the election of the incumbent to the Senedd last month.  He vacated the seat, having only won it from Labour in a by-election last August.  Six candidates fought that by-election.  Gwlad drop out this time, but the Greens and an independent have added themselves to the ballot.

Karl - Ref HOLD

Rich - Pld GAIN

Rhyl South, Denbighshire County Council

(Lab defence)

Triggered by the death of the longstanding incumbent.  She has been erroneously listed as an 'independent' in some quarters, not helped by a statement from the council referring to her as a 'non-aligned member'.  However, Cllr Chamberlain-Jones had been elected on a Labour ticket at every Denbighshire council election since 2004.  The last election here was a straightforward Lab-Con battle, but they will be joined on the ballot this time by Reform, the Greens, Lib Dems and Plaid.

Karl - Lab HOLD

Rich - Ref GAIN

Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch, Denbighshire County Council

(Pld defence)

The election of the incumbent to the Senedd last month triggered this contest.  Only Plaid and the Conservatives stood here last time, but they will be joined this time by Reform and two independents.

Karl - Pld HOLD

Rich - Pld HOLD

North Acton, Ealing London Borough Council

(Grn defence)

The incumbent resigned only days after being elected in last month's council elections, citing unspecified 'health grounds'.  If he had been a newly elected Reform councillor, there would have been a lot more media interest in his resignation for sure.  A local independent group is standing this time, while Rejoin EU and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition drop out just weeks after garnering 201 and 83 votes respectively.

Karl - Lab GAIN

Rich - Lab GAIN

Dalston, Hackney London Borough Council

(Grn defence)

The second London by-election triggered by the Greens, costing taxpayers upwards of £20,000, after they selected the same candidate for council and elected mayor.  Having been elected as Hackney's new mayor, she had to forfeit the council seat.  The five parties contesting this by-election are the same five that fought it last month.

Karl - Lab GAIN

Rich - Grn HOLD

Hackney Central, Hackney London Borough Council

(Grn defence)

Another Green cock-up in Hackney, this time having fielded an ineligible candidate.  No-one in Zack's crazy gang seemed to clock that a council employee (a school teacher in this instance) cannot take up a council seat.  There are no new entries a few weeks on, but an independent and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition have dropped out.  As an indicator of what kind of ward this is, three of the five  candidates (Green, Labour, Lib Dems) have double-barrelled names.  Will bourgeois voters be happy to be called out to vote again during exceptionally hot weather?

Karl - Lab GAIN

Rich - Lab GAIN

Farnworth, Halton Borough Council

(Lab defence)

The resignation of the incumbent for 'personal reasons' triggered this contest.  There were four candidates on the ballot here last month, the only change this time is the addition of a Libertarian candidate.  Labour won the seat last month by the slimmest margin of one.

Karl - Ref GAIN

Rich - Ref GAIN

Northumberland Park, Haringey London Borough Council

(Grn defence)

Another contest caused by an ineligible Green elected only last month.  The reason for the disqualification is not clear, which may suggest a criminal conviction.  Again, if this had been a Reform councillor, the media would be asking all sorts of questions.  If the Greens manage to hold here and take a seat off Labour in the ward below, they would take control of the council as they are currently two seats short of a majority.  A local independent socialist group dropping out is the only change from May 7.

Karl - Lab GAIN

Rich - Lab GAIN

Woodside, Haringey London Borough Council

(Lab defence)

Yet another ward being asked to vote again just a few week later, this time because the Labour incumbent resigned days after being elected for 'personal reasons'.  This will be the same five way contest it was last month.  A Green gain here, combined with a notional hold in the ward above, would give them an outright majority on the council.  They are currently two seats short and running a minority administration.  

Karl - Lab GAIN

Rich - Lab GAIN

Bushey Park, Hertsmere Borough Council

(LDm defence)

Triggered by the death of the incumbent.  Reform and the Greens are newcomers here.

Karl - LDm HOLD

Rich - LDm HOLD

East Sutherland & Edderton, Highland Council

(free-for-all, was Ind)

The incumbent resigned on health grounds, having picked up this seat in 2022 through Scotland's complex voting system.  The Lib Dems topped the poll on that occasion, but there were three seats up for grabs.  Labour were previously the top dogs in this ward, but they did not even try and defend their seat in 2022 and are absent again this time.  Reform are the new entries, while the Libertarians drop out.

Karl - SNP GAIN

Rich - LDm GAIN

Dowlais & Pant, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

(free-for-all, was Ind)

Another vacancy arising out of the election of the incumbent to the Senedd last month.  He was elected as an independent to this ward in 2022, but joined Reform UK three years later and now represents that party in the Senedd.  Previous election results here suggest that voters aren't too keen on party politics and there is another independent candidate standing in this contest, along with three other newcomers - Reform, the Greens and Conservatives.

Karl - Lab GAIN

Rich - Ind GAIN

Camp Hill, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

(Lab defence)

The incumbent resigned on health grounds.  Last month there were five candidates here, but this time there are no candidates from either the Greens or Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, which is likely to benefit Labour in a seat where the right-wing vote is split between the Tories and Reform.

Karl - Ref GAIN

Rich - Ref GAIN

Treorchy, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

(Pld defence)

The Plaid incumbent was elected to the Senedd last month and vacated this seat as a result.  Both council seats were up for grabs here last time and Plaid narrowly won the second seat behind first place Labour.  Reform and the Greens will join the ballot paper on Thursday.

Karl - Pld HOLD

Rich - Pld HOLD

Haydock, St. Helens Borough Council

(Ref defence)

Without doubt the most embarrassing trigger for today's by-election - especially for a party on the conservative right.  The incumbent resigned days after being elected last month, after the local lefty rag exposed him as a gay porn star.  The local Reform leadership stood by him - publicly at least - but he chose to resign anyway.  Reform's left-wing opponents will struggle to make use of such a smear, considering they would normally support such debauchery.  The line-up on the ballot remains largely the same as it was last month.

Karl - Ref HOLD

Rich - Grn GAIN

St Helens Town Centre, St Helens Borough Council

(Lab defence x 2)

Postponed and carried over from May 7, after one of the Reform candidates passed away.  Both seats are to be decided, with Labour, Reform and the Greens all fielding a pair of candidates.  The Tories are fielding one, plus there is an independent.  All change from the last election here, which featured only four candidates for two seats (Labour x 2, Conservatives x 1, For Britain x 1).

Karl - Lab HOLD x 2

Rich - Lab HOLD x 1, Grn GAIN x 1

Stretton, Staffordshire County Council

(Ref defence)

Triggered by the resignation of the incumbent, after barely a year in office.  This was attributed to health reasons, although social media comments suggested he was not too happy in the role and he had failed to attend a council meeting in five months.  The Lib Dems are not standing this time, leaving the other four main parties to battle it out.

Karl - Ref HOLD

Rich - Con GAIN

Wilnecote, Tamworth Borough Council

(Con defence)

Postponed and carried over from May 7, due to the death of the Labour candidate.  There are two new entries this time around - the Greens and an independent.

Karl - Con HOLD

Rich - Ref GAIN

Dawlish South West, Teignbridge District Council

(LDm defence)

Triggered by the death of the 89-year-old incumbent (yes, you read that correctly).  The Lib Dems have gone for experience again, opting for a 72-year-old candidate in the form of an ex-Labour leader of Wirral Council.  Labour don't bother contesting this ward, but Reform and the Greens have entered the fray, with plenty of independent votes up for grabs (three stood last time, zero this time).

Karl - LDm HOLD

Rich - LDm HOLD

Stort Valley, Uttlesford District Council

(LDm defence)

The longstanding incumbent is currently being treated for cancer and understandably vacated the seat on health grounds.  A rural ward with a tiny electorate, the Labour party contested this last time around and their absence this time is the only change.

Karl - LDm HOLD

Rich - LDm HOLD

Karl leads Richey by a narrow margin of two going into week six.  Last week's bonanza of by-elections improved both their standings, with both now enjoying an above 50 per cent success rate.

Of course, that could all change again today.

TOON TUESDAY #108

To quote one of Chairman Starmer's useless policies, this week's selection of toons has a one in, one out theme.  Burnham in, Starmer out...

Nick Newman for The Sunday Times

Christian Adams for The Daily Telegraph

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Andy Davey for The Sunday Telegraph

Peter Brookes for The Times

Steve Bright for The Sun

Christian Adams for The Daily Telegraph

Chris Riddell for The Observer

Matt Pritchett for The Sunday Telegraph

Morten Morland for The Sunday Times

Morten Morland for The Times

Patrick Blower for The Daily Telegraph

Stephen Lillie for The Guardian

Patrick Blower for The Daily Telegraph

Peter Brookes for The Times

MEME MONDAY #88

The memes tailed off towards the end of last week as Karl was on holiday.  He'd already prepared at least one meme for each of the most likely outcomes in Makerfield, but beyond Burnham's victory they dried up and Richey turned his hand with a rare effort come Sunday.  Karl is currently shifting through a backlog of work, which is why our regular articles are appearing very late in the day.  Normal service will resume shortly.

Mon 15 Jun - 381 shares.  Bluesky was completely omitted when the government
began listing proposed sites that could be subject to the ban, leading to consternation
among those on the right.  When minister Liz Kendall was confronted about Bluesky
the following day during an LBC phone-in, she gave a conflicted response: "So in
Australia, Bluesky is included in the ban and we plan to use their model".  The
problem with this response is that Bluesky was not included in the Australia ban,
so this may not be the u-turn that Kendall was alluding to

Tue 16 Jun - 208 shares

Tue 16 Jun - 426 shares

Tue 16 Jun - 24 shares

Tue 16 Jun - 14 shares.  The result of this emoji poll was as follows:
Yes = 4
No = 139

Wed 17 Jun - 9 shares.  Five days later Wes u-turned yet again, backing out
altogether and endorsing Burnham.  Come on Wes, we wanted a damaging
drawn out leadership battle!

Wed 17 Jun - 5 shares

Wed 17 Jun - 22 shares.  The Burnham camp clearly knew that the Labour
brand is so toxic in working class communities that they went to great
lengths to omit it from the campaign.  The top left photo features the rare
sight of a Labour 'moderate' (Stella Creasy) and an SCG lefty (Rachael
Maskell) posing together

Thu 17 Jun - 110 shares.  The result of this emoji poll was as follows:
Yes = 8,112
No = 538
Wishful thinking?  We both called it for Labour in Thursday's election preview,
but very much hoped we were wrong!

Fri 19 Jun - 79 shares

Sat 20 Jun - 398 shares

Sun 21 Jun - 171 shares.  One of Richey's rare efforts

Five Facebook Stories were published last week, as follows.

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Thank you.

WILL ANYONE ELSE STEP FORWARD?

As had become increasingly likely over the weekend, Starmer finally threw in the towel on Monday morning. The process to replace him will be much shorter than usual for a Labour leadership election - if there is an election at all - with the aim of securing a new leader and PM by the time MPs return from summer recess in September. The 2020 leadership election took three months to complete.

Nominations will open in two and a half weeks, on July 9, but at the time of writing there is only one confirmed candidate - Andy Burnham.  Despite having toured the country over the last few weeks, drumming up support for a bid - and stating only last week that he now had the numbers to challenge Starmer - Wes Streeting has pulled out of the race and backed Burnham.  Perhaps Wes had been banking on a Labour defeat in Makerfield?

Other potential candidates have either ruled themselves out or aren't saying much.  Neither Ed Miliband or Shabana Mahmood are expected to stand, but Alistair Carns wrote a cryptic post on social media that could signal he is game.  The post ended: "We have the ideas, we have the talent, but we need the courage and leadership to deliver them. That's what comes next."

There's no doubting Carns' ambition, but it is not clear if this was an endorsement of Burnham or a signal that he will enter the fray.  Beyond Angela Rayner, who has been tight-lipped so far, there are only dark horse candidates.

As with his disastrous premiership, Starmer's big farewell speech did not go according to plan.  He was constantly drowned out by none other than EU fanatic Steve Bray.  Westminster's perennial protester was positioned next to the Downing Street gates blaring out Ode to Joy, which threatened to drown out Starmer's grandiose rose-tinted assessment of the perceived 'achievements' of his short time in office.  Some of his claims have already been fact-checked and debunked.

If you can stomach it, Starmer's resignation speech in full can be found below (six minute excruciating watch)

As for the man who could be coronated Labour leader and PM next month, if no-one else steps forward, his day did not quite go according to plan either.  Burnham was travelling down from Manchester to be inaugurated as an MP, but his train was delayed by almost 20 minutes.

Start as you mean to go on, Andy!

BOATWATCH #64

A 14 day lull came crashing to an end on Monday, with a whopping 710 colonists collected in the Channel and brought ashore by collaborator vessels.  This was followed by a brief two day lull, before hundreds more began arriving on Thursday.  Monday's collection of 710 presents the biggest number of daily arrivals for 2026 to date.

"We must be mad, literally mad".

Total = 1,602

BY-ELECTIONS 18.06.26

It's an absolute bonanza this week, with no less than three Westminster by-elections and 18 council seats up for grabs.  The full list of results can be found below in three sections, beginning with the big three...

UK PARLIAMENT BY-ELECTIONS

Aberdeen South

Douglas Lumsden (Con) 14,308 (49.5%) +25.1%

Richard Thomson (SNP) 8,258 (28.6%) -4.3%

Jo Hart (Ref) 2,478 (8.6%) +1.7%

Nurul Hoque Ali (Lab) 1,550 (5.4%) -19.4%

Mel Sullivan (LDm) 1,270 (4.4%) -1.9%

Jorg Shelton-Eckstein (Grn) 974 (3.4%) -0.1%

David Ballantine (AfD) 59 (0.2%) New

Con GAIN from SNP

A huge win for the Conservatives this, and a hard fought victory that will bring relief to a beleaguered leader in Westminster who visited this seat multiple times during the campaign.  This by-election had been triggered by the resignation of Stephen Flynn, who stood down after being elected to the Scottish Parliament last month.  The seat historically flipped between Labour and Conservative, up until the SNP wave of 2015.  The Tories regained the seat briefly in 2017, but it has been in the grip of the SNP since 2019.  Their candidate was defending a 3,758 majority, but capitulated to the Tories in spectacular fashion.  The new Conservative MP will have a 6,050 majority going into the next elections.  Labour only just saved their deposit here, while there was a disappointing debut for the Alliance for Democracy and Freedom, a little known right-wing libertarian party led by someone called Dr Teck Khong (not a made up name, seriously).

Karl - SNP HOLD ✘

Rich - SNP HOLD ✘

Arbroath and Broughty Ferry

Lara Bird  (SNP) 9,802 (41.1%) +5.7%

Jack Cruickshanks (Con) 4,624 (19.4%) +3.9%

Bill Reid (Ref) 4,341 (18.2%) +9.6%

Heather Doran (Lab) 3,651 (15.3%) -18.1%

Tanvir Ahmad (LDm) 1,452 (6.1%) +1.0%

SNP HOLD

This by-election was triggered by the resignation of Stephen Gethins, who like Flynn, vacated the seat after being elected to the Scottish Parliament last month.  However, the SNP faired much better here and actually increased their majority as the pack behind them jostled for position.  Labour crashed from second to fourth, but unusually all candidates saved their deposits, including the last placed Lib Dems.  This seat had been created through the boundary changes that were introduced at the 2024 general election.  It was created from an amalgamation of two now defunct seats Dundee East and Angus, both of which were held by the SNP.  The SNP majority did not fair well in the new seat, keeping Labour at bay in 2024 by the slender margin of 859.  They now have a much healthier majority of 5,178.

Karl - SNP HOLD ✔

Rich - SNP HOLD ✔

Makerfield

Andy Burnham (Lab) 24,937 (54.8%)  +0.7%

Rob Kenyon (Ref) 15,696 (34.5%) +16.4%

Rebecca Shepherd (Res) 3,111 (6.8%) New

Michael Winstanley (Con) 997 (2.2%) -13.4%

Sarah Wakefield (Grn) 308 (0.7%) -2.8%

Jake Austin (LDm) 163 (0.4%) -2.5%

Count Binface (Ind) 95 (0.2%) New

Howling Laud Hope (Loon) 45 (0.1%) New

John Dyer (Ind) 37 (0.1%) New

Peter Ward (REU) 35 (0.1%) New

Dan Clarke (Lbt) 18 (<0.1%)  New

Ed Gemmell (Clm) 18 (<0.1%) New

Robert Pownall (Ind) 18 (<0.1%) New

Paul Gould (Ind) 8 (<0.1%) New

Lab HOLD

A stunning win for Burnham and proof - if it were needed - of why he is so dangerous.  On an increased turnout, he extended his predecessor's 5,399 majority to a 9,231 majority - albeit still way off the 26,177 majority that the party enjoyed at its peak in 1997.  Labour have held this seat since its creation in 1983.  There is little doubt that the 3,111 votes obtained by Restore Britain added to Burnham's majority, but in terms of determining the winner their input was largely irrelevent.  This by-election had been triggered by the resignation of Josh Simons after less than two years in the role, simply in order to allow Burnham to re-enter the Commons and take up residence in Ten Downing Street.  Burnham's victory speech left little doubt about his ambition and there is clearly trouble ahead for Starmer in the coming days.

Karl - Lab HOLD ✔

Rich - Lab HOLD ✔

POSTPONED COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Idle & Thackley, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

(three seats)

LDm: 2,784 (19.0%)

LDm: 2,746 (18.7%)

LDm: 2,714 (18.5%)

Ref: 1,582 (10.8%)

Ref: 1,573 (10.7%)

Ref: 1,528 (10.4%)

Grn: 237 (1.6%)

Grn: 229 (1.6%)

Lab: 208 (1.4%)

Grn: 204 (1.4%)

LDm HOLD x 3

This election was rolled over from May 7th, when the ward was due to elect its three members alongside the rest of the council.  It was postponed after one of the incumbent Lib Dem councillors passed away.  The Lib Dems usually romp home here, but the boundaries have been redrawn slightly for this election.  There was a small dip in their vote share, but they held off newcomers Reform with ease.  Intriguingly, Labour only fielded a single candidate.  They needn't have bothered at all.

Karl - LDm HOLD x 3 ✔

Rich - LDm HOLD x 3 ✔

Moorside, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Lab: 1,308 (39.4%) -4.5%

Ref: 1,030 (31.1%) New

WPB: 609 (18.4%) New

Grn: 200 (6.0%) New

Con: 108 (3.3%) -21.5%

Ind: 61 (1.8%) -29.5%

Lab HOLD

Postponed from May 7th, due to the death of the Reform candidate.  The size of the ballot for this seat doubled from 2024, with Reform, the Greens and Workers Party of Britain joining Labour, the Conservatives and Bury Independents.  Labour managed a rare hold, holding off a challenge from Reform.  George Galloway's party also fared well on debut, amassing more than three times the number of votes received by the Greens.

Karl - Ind GAIN ✘

Rich - Ref GAIN ✘

Chelmsford Springfield, Essex County Council

LDm: 3,203 (54.6%) +8.6%

Ref: 1,616 (27.5%) New

Con: 723 (12.3%) -25.1%

Grn: 216 (3.7%) -2.3%

Lab: 110 (1.9%) -7.3%

LDm HOLD

Due to be held on May 7th along with the rest of the council wards, this seat was postponed after the incumbent passed away.  The boundaries were redrawn slightly, which appeared to favour the Lib Dems.  There was a significant swing from the Conservatives to Reform.

Karl - LDm HOLD ✔

Rich - LDm HOLD ✔

Hillingdon West, Hillingdon London Borough Council

(two seats)

Con: 1,084 (24.4%)

Con: 949 (21.3%)

Lab: 470 (10.6%)

Ref: 433 (9.7%)

Lab: 362 (8.1%)

Grn: 353 (7.9%)

Ref: 347 (7.8%)

Grn: 341 (7.7%)

LDm: 63 (1.4%)

LDm: 49 (1.1%)

Con HOLD x 2

This election for two seats was postponed after one of the two Reform candidates passed away.  Reform and the Lib Dems were on debut here and the formwe did a fair bit of damage to the Lab-Con vote share.  The Tory vote share was down almost 10 per cent, while Labour's was down almost 15 per cent.  The Lib Dems made virtually no impact at all.

Karl - Con HOLD x 2 ✔

Rich - Con HOLD x 1 ✔ Ref GAIN x 1  ✘

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS

Gogarth Mostyn, Conwy County Borough Council

Ref: 496 (33.8%) New

Con: 406 (27.7%) -6.2%

Lab: 368 (26.3%) -9.7%

LDm: 178 (12.1%) New

Ref GAIN from Con

One of two complicated vacancies in Conwy, triggered by the election of the incumbents to the Senedd last month.  Both were elected as Tory councillors in 2022, but defected to Reform last summer and are now MSs.  Reform has now managed to convert this defection into an electoral victory, appearing to take advantage of the lack of an independent candidate this time.

Karl - Con HOLD ✘

Rich - Ref GAIN ✔

Tudno, Conwy County Borough Council

Ref: 357 (43.4%) New

Con: 180 (21.9%) -7.0%

Lab: 171 (20.8%) -9.8%

Grn: 71 (8.6%) New

LDm: 43 (5.2%) -10.5%

Ref GAIN from Con

The second of two Conwy vacancies triggered in the same way.  There were no independents this time around and Reform stormed into first place to cement a defection as an electoral gain.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✔

Rich - Ref GAIN ✔

Rayleigh West, Essex County Council

Con: 1,515 (35.4%) +17.5% LDm: 1,262 (29.5%) +2.9% Ref: 1,046 (24.4%) -15.3% Grn: 225 (5.3%) -0.8%

Ind: 117 (2.7%) New Lab: 85 (2.0%) -1.9% Ind: 35 (0.8%) New

Con GAIN from Ref

This contest was triggered by the resignation of the incumbent, less than a week after being elected in last month's council elections.  Labour-linked 'Hope Not Hate' had uncovered 'Islamophobic' social media posts in the run-up to election day and the newly elected councillor was expelled by Reform and effectively pushed out of office.  Having also won a seat on Rochford District Council, his departure also triggered a separate by-election (see below).  Two independents joined the new ballot, while the local residents' group dropped out.  The Tories surged from distant third to first, in what was an impressive gain, while the Lib Dems maintained second place and pushed Reform into third.

Karl - Ref HOLD ✘

Rich - Ref HOLD ✘

Crofton Park, Lewisham London Borough Council

Grn: 1,340 (44.9%) -7.5%

Lab: 1,330 (44.5%) +13.9%

Ref: 127 (4.3%) -0.8%

LDm: 106 (3.5%) -2.9%

Con: 73 (2.4%) -3.1%

Ind: 10 (0.3%) New

Grn HOLD

The Greens triggered this by-election at a cost of at least £20,000 to local taxpayers, having selected the same person to stand for election as both councillor in this ward and elected mayor.  Having won both contests on May 7th, the new mayor was forced to resign as a councillor.  This ward is about as left as it gets, as shown by the Labour surge that almost won them the seat from the Greens.  There were just ten votes in it, while all the other parties lagged way behind.

Karl - Grn HOLD ✔

Rich - Grn HOLD ✔

Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East, New Forest District Council

Con: 696 (39.3%) -20.7%

Grn: 459 (25.9%) +7.0%

Ref: 452 (25.5%) +10.1%

LDm: 126 (7.1%) +4.0%

Lab: 38 (2.1%) -0.4%

Con HOLD

A Conservative hold despite a sharp drop in their vote.  This followed the resignation of their sitting member, who had been embroiled in a spat with local residents.

Karl - Con HOLD ✔

Rich - Con HOLD ✔

Sweyne Park & Grange, Rochford District Council

Con: 1,049 (56.1%) +39.3%

Ref: 464 (24.8%) -14.9%

LDm: 247 (13.2%) -3.3%

Grn: 78 (4.2%) -3.9%

Lab: 31 (1.7%) -1.9%

Con GAIN from Ref

Triggered by the resignation of the incumbent after 'Islamophobic' social media posts were uncovered (see Essex County Council above for more details).  The Tories were a distant second here six weeks ago, but they have turned the tables in spectacular fashion.  There was no candidate for the residents' group this time, which left the five main parties to battle it out.  Labour and the Greens could muster barely a hundred votes between them.

Karl - Ref HOLD ✘

Rich - Ref HOLD ✘

Mumbles, Swansea Council

Con: 933 (37.3%) -4.7%

Lab: 460 (18.4%) -11.0%

Ref: 458 (18.3%) New

Pld: 268 (10.7%) +2.0%

Grn: 200 (8.0%) -5.4%

Ind: 118 (4.7%) New

LDm: 66 (2.6%) -3.9%

Con HOLD

A very similar scenario to Conwy (see above), in which a Reform councillor elected as a Conservative had vacated the seat, having gained election to the Senedd.  The incumbent was elected in 2022 as a Tory, but defected to Reform in 2025.  Reform could not turn the defection into electoral victory and finished third, two votes behind Labour.  It was a comfortable hold for the Conservatives, who will be relieved to have this seat back on the council.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✘

Rich - Con HOLD ✔

Morriston, Swansea Council

Lab: 908 (35.2%) -25.8%

Ref: 882 (31.8%) New

Pld: 569 (21.9%) New

Grn: 107 (4.1%) New

LDm: 93 (3.6%) -8.4%

Con: 87 (3.4%) -11.5%

Lab HOLD

Triggered by the death of the long-standing incumbent, whose passing was due in part to a fall from his mobility scooter at the age of 78.  His daughter became his successor, but only just.  She fended off a challenge from the Reform newcomer by just 36 votes, as the Labour vote in the Red Wall of South Wales continues to crumble.

Karl - Ref GAIN ✘

Rich - Pld GAIN ✘

Acton & Maesydre, Wrexham County Borough Council

Pld: 341 (38.8%) +1.8%

Ref: 300 (34.1%) New

Lab: 98 (11.1%) -14.4%

Ind: 78 (8.2%) New

Con: 52 (5.9%) -6.4%

LDm: 8 (0.9%) New

Grn: 8 (0.9%) -2.4%

Pld HOLD

This contest, along with the two following Wrexham vacancies, came about through the election of the incumbents to the Senedd.  Reform and the Lib Dems were new on the ballot, but it was Reform who took the fight to Plaid, losing out by just 41 votes and pushing Labour into third.

Karl - Pld HOLD ✔

Rich - Pld HOLD ✔

Grosvenor, Wrexham County Borough Council

Pld: 208 (43.5%) -19.8%

Ref: 105 (22.0%) New

Lab: 99 (20.5%) -5.5%

Ind: 22 (4.6%) New

YrP: 20 (4.2%) New

Con: 12 (2.5%) -8.1%

Grn: 11 (2.3%) New

LDm: 2 (0.4%) New

Pld HOLD

The incumbent vacated the seat after having been elected to the Senedd last month.  This was a crowded ballot paper compared to the last election here in 2022, with Reform, the Greens, Lib Dems, an independent and Your Party standing this time around.  Yes, that is Your Party as in the shitshow created by Sultana and Corbyn.  Reform went straight in at second, but there were some miserly votes trailing them - Corbyn's party received just 20 votes, while the Lib Dems got just two!

Karl - Pld HOLD ✔

Rich - Pld HOLD ✔

Queensway, Wrexham County Borough Council

Pld: 94 (40.9%) -33.9%

Ref: 86 (37.4%) New

Lab: 37 (16.1%) -5.9%

Grn: 11 (4.7%) New

Con: 2 (0.9%) -2.3%

Pld HOLD

The third and final Wrexham seat vacated by a newly elected Senedd member.  Plaid held once again, with Reform and the Greens on debut.  Reform capped off an impressive string of second places, losing out by eight votes on an abysmal turnout.

Karl - Pld HOLD ✔

Rich - Pld HOLD ✔

With both lads going mostly like for like this week, Karl's lead was unlikely to be threatened.  Richey bested Karl this week by one seat, cutting his opponent's overall lead down to two.  Both now have more respectable success rates, above 50 per cent.  There are even more council seats up for grabs next week - a whopping 24 - so the numbers are set to change radically again.

PS. This is a bit of fun, but we fully acknowledge the absolute seriousness of these election results.

TOON TUESDAY #107

Another mostly Telegraph week, with no newspaper cartoonists daring to address the migrant attack on Stephen Ogilvie in north Belfast.  Some left-leaning artists were prepared to tackle the violence that followed (naturally), pinning the blame on Nigel Farage (as per usual).  We've included a few toons from US  conservatives who are not afraid to address our migrant violence head on.

Many of this week's efforts draw on the PM's defence woes, mocking the state of the Armed Forces under Labour.  There's a major football tournament on at the moment, so some cartoonists have incorporated a soccer theme, including a reference to Kevin Keegan's famous outburst way back in the 1990s...

Morten Morland for The Sunday Times

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Peter Brookes for The Times

Christian Adams for The Daily Telegraph

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Andy Bunday on Instagram

Christian Adams for The Daily Telegraph

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Christian Adams for The Sunday Telegraph

Graeme Bandeira for The Northern Agenda

Patrick Blower for The Daily Telegraph

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Christian Adams for The Daily Telegraph

Patrick Blower for The Daily Telegraph

Tom Stiglich on X

SKS Cartoon on X

Tom Stiglich on X

Ben Jennings for The Guardian

SKS Cartoons on X